North Shore Rail Line to Arthur Kill?

[ConcourseExp]

Why can't the MTA start building the Norh Shore Line so people can have access to the west side of Staten Island without taking the bus or paying another fare at St. George?

[Mysterious2train]

North Shore Rail? Only in our dreams.

 

IIRC, the MTA already selected to implement Bus Rapid Transit instead of rail service on the North Shore, so there's that. BRT was deemed the best use of money, or something like that. Here's a nice big PDF that talks all about it.

 

There's also a proposal for light rail service on the West shore running to New Jersey to connect with the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail. Link.

[qjtransitmaster]

Here is an instafix boost the S89 so simple.

[161 New York]

Here is an instafix boost the S89 so simple.

The s89 will not help residents of the North Shore of Staten Island, between the St. George Ferry Terminal and Mariners Harbor. 

 

Regarding the topic at hand:

 

 

There are two proposals, generally, the reactivation of the North Shore Staten Island Railway and the proposed West Shore Light Rail. Notice the problem right there.

 

Some on Staten Island, notably the Staten Island Economic Development Corporation and several career politicians, one of whom is under indictment for 20 criminal violations of federal law, have this view that Staten Island needs to be connected to the   HBLR for rail access to Manhattan.

 

My view on this, as expressed here is that:

 

1) The MTA should reactivate the North Shore branch of the Staten Island Railway and provide the needed service for the folks between St. George and Mariners Harbor. Additionally, bus service should supplement the service as well so that people can get to where they need to go as not everyone needs the ferry or access St. George.

 

2) The West Shore of Staten Island may never be a viable location for any type of large scale economic activity. The area is besieged by extremely high tolls, environmental concerns (wetlands, superfund sites), dilapidated/overtaxed infrastructure (Goethals Bridge & West Shore Expressway/SI Expressway). Ask the owners of the Teleport how that investment is working out for them.

 

3) The proposal for an HBLR connection to the South & West Shore Expressway assumes that Staten Islanders want up to a FIVE SEAT connection to MANHATTAN through three transportation systems and should not be considered at this time:

       a) Private Car/Local Bus - > Hypothetical Staten Island Light Rail (I doubt it will go to Hoboken) ->HBLR (Exchange Pl) -> Take LONG escalator to crushload PATH train -> Take LONG escalator from WTC to -> Subway/Local Bus? Etc.

       b) The South Shore of Staten Island (from Huguenot Ave, North) has mostly adequate bus service (though there is always room for improvement) for access to Manhattan via the s74, the x17 which has been steadily expanding 4a -> 5pm now has EXPANDED Sunday Service and the x1 which is now 24 hours. Also during the weekday, x17/x19/x21/x22/x23/x24 etc. One seat vs 5?

       c) The costs to buy the land via eminent domain will be not cheap.

       d) New Jersey Transit should not pay for this, money is sorely needed elsewhere in the state, though I would be good with bus service (see below).

 

4) Regarding connections to Jersey City and Hudson County:

       a) Despite the s89 and tolls and PAID parking, the parking lot of cars parked at the 34st HBLR station are full of NY plates.

       b) The s89 hits three park and rides (two actual and one defacto(right before the bridge)). Most people going to JC/Hudson Co are driving  to some point. Any other riders who XFER are feeding from existing E/W N/S routes, ie s78, s74, s61, s62, s48, s44 etc. With that, and having used the s89 at some point during at all hours, only the buses during the peak period are moderately full, but no where near crushloads. Buses from 34 St HBLR after 18:00-18:30, almost everyone can get a seat. It is my observation that the s89 overall ridership is primarily intra-SI trips or at very most 50/50 interstate.

       c) Surprisingly there is a respectable amount of traffic of people (10-15 observed on several buses at various times) going from NJ to SI in the AM hours and people going to NJ from SI in the PM hours on some runs, though many times I have been the only passenger. Also when the walkway at the Bayonne Br. was opened, I encountered a few hearty souls treking over the bridge that were not runners/walkers. However, it is my opinion as stated many times here that perhaps   NJT should extend the 10 or maybe the 81 on some runs to Forest/Richmond one stop. Trust me, I would use it.

[qjtransitmaster]

The s89 will not help residents of the North Shore of Staten Island, between the St. George Ferry Terminal and Mariners Harbor. 

 

Regarding the topic at hand:

 

There are two proposals, generally, the reactivation of the North Shore Staten Island Railway and the proposed West Shore Light Rail. Notice the problem right there.

 

Some on Staten Island, notably the Staten Island Economic Development Corporation and several career politicians, one of whom is under indictment for 20 criminal violations of federal law, have this view that Staten Island needs to be connected to the   HBLR for rail access to Manhattan.

 

My view on this, as expressed here is that:

 

1) The MTA should reactivate the North Shore branch of the Staten Island Railway and provide the needed service for the folks between St. George and Mariners Harbor. Additionally, bus service should supplement the service as well so that people can get to where they need to go as not everyone needs the ferry or access St. George.

 

2) The West Shore of Staten Island may never be a viable location for any type of large scale economic activity. The area is besieged by extremely high tolls, environmental concerns (wetlands, superfund sites), dilapidated/overtaxed infrastructure (Goethals Bridge & West Shore Expressway/SI Expressway). Ask the owners of the Teleport how that investment is working out for them.

 

3) The proposal for an HBLR connection to the South & West Shore Expressway assumes that Staten Islanders want up to a FIVE SEAT connection to MANHATTAN through three transportation systems and should not be considered at this time:

       a) Private Car/Local Bus - > Hypothetical Staten Island Light Rail (I doubt it will go to Hoboken) ->HBLR (Exchange Pl) -> Take LONG escalator to crushload PATH train -> Take LONG escalator from WTC to -> Subway/Local Bus? Etc.

       b) The South Shore of Staten Island (from Huguenot Ave, North) has mostly adequate bus service (though there is always room for improvement) for access to Manhattan via the s74, the x17 which has been steadily expanding 4a -> 5pm now has EXPANDED Sunday Service and the x1 which is now 24 hours. Also during the weekday, x17/x19/x21/x22/x23/x24 etc. One seat vs 5?

       c) The costs to buy the land via eminent domain will be not cheap.

       d) New Jersey Transit should not pay for this, money is sorely needed elsewhere in the state, though I would be good with bus service (see below).

 

4) Regarding connections to Jersey City and Hudson County:

       a) Despite the s89 and tolls and PAID parking, the parking lot of cars parked at the 34st HBLR station are full of NY plates.

       b) The s89 hits three park and rides (two actual and one defacto(right before the bridge)). Most people going to JC/Hudson Co are driving  to some point. Any other riders who XFER are feeding from existing E/W N/S routes, ie s78, s74, s61, s62, s48, s44 etc. With that, and having used the s89 at some point during at all hours, only the buses during the peak period are moderately full, but no where near crushloads. Buses from 34 St HBLR after 18:00-18:30, almost everyone can get a seat. It is my observation that the s89 overall ridership is primarily intra-SI trips or at very most 50/50 interstate.

       c) Surprisingly there is a respectable amount of traffic of people (10-15 observed on several buses at various times) going from NJ to SI in the AM hours and people going to NJ from SI in the PM hours on some runs, though many times I have been the only passenger. Also when the walkway at the Bayonne Br. was opened, I encountered a few hearty souls treking over the bridge that were not runners/walkers. However, it is my opinion as stated many times here that perhaps   NJT should extend the 10 or maybe the 81 on some runs to Forest/Richmond one stop. Trust me, I would use it.

I actually suggested an NJT bus to Staten island back to the NJT board in 2010 as well as a connection between various Middlesex destinations and Staten island to get more revenue and service out there indirectly.